It was hours before game time, and the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones were taking batting practice. Five Brooklyn players were scattered to the right of the BP cage, their necks rotating in unison to follow the flight of the ball. The back of their navy blue warm-ups bared numbers: 10, 44, 3, 33. And, to the far right, a four-time All Star clad in blue and orange shorts kneeled on one knee. No. 7.